FIXED BASE OPERATOR IS INTEGRAL TO AIRPORT SUCCESS

The Cape Girardeau Municipal Airport serves not just as a public transportation facility, but as an ambassador for this community. For many business people, as the frequent and apt description goes, the airport is the front door to Cape Girardeau. At the moment, the airport is an attractive door with a squeaking hinge. The city government wants the airport's fixed based operator off the premises for reasons of alleged safety and general operation. While we don't have evidence to pass judgment on whether the eviction of Cape Central Airways should be fulfilled, we commend the city for detecting warning signals and taking action where the fixed base operator is concerned.

The situation at the airport is unstable at the moment. The city wants to terminate a fixed base operation lease held by Cape Central Airways, and court action has been commenced to execute an eviction. In taking this action, the city cites the aviation company's wavering adherence to financial conditions of the lease and various safety concerns; among the latter are assertions ranging from "buzzing" the airport property to running out of gas during a flight to using runways after they were declared closed during a snowstorm. The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating some of these matters.

For its part, Cape Central Airways responds that it has lived up to the lease agreements and values safe operation. Further, the company, which has been in business 44 years under various ownerships, cites its nine charter aircraft and 31 employees as assets to the airport and the community.

Thrown into this mix is a facility trying to live up to its looks after a $1.3 million facelift, completed in 1993. The city and the airport's relatively new manager believe the airport should be more than merely a place for planes to land and take off.

The airport south of Nash Road is a modern, newly remodeled and highly attractive facility. It does a good job in serving the needs of the region and is getting better. The word that best suits the airport is "potential"; with expanded usage and improved service, its importance as an economic development arm of the city will continue to flourish.

However, the airport trips itself without a solid fixed base operator to serve the needs of commercial pilots, provide a meaningful local service and present visitors flying into the airport with a good first impression. Without such standard amenities, many pilots flying cross country will prefer to stop and refuel -- and thus eat and visit -- elsewhere. Less than 30 minutes flying time away is an outstanding fixed based operation in Paducah, Ky. If Cape Girardeau's airport is going to reach full potential, it must at least be comparable to its Kentucky neighbor.

Even more important than the ability to live up to the fiscal portion of its contract with the city (though that is important), the fixed base operator must represent the airport within a context of safety. Federal authorities carry forward their safety investigations and judgment should not be premature, but the variety and recurring nature of the incidents under review, if they prove to have merit, do not embody an operation where safety is held in high regard.

We believe the city of Cape Girardeau must have a sound and safe fixed base operator at the municipal airport. If Cape Central Airways fails this standard, the city should act with proper urgency and deliberation to put one in place.

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It is important to note, the city's action against the fixed base operator has little impact upon Trans World Express commuter flights into and out of the Cape Girardeau Municipal airport. These flights to and from St. Louis continue to serve the public regularly each day. "It's business as usual," says airport manager Randy Holdman.